That Damn Rodeo
by EspressoShot
Summary: Sandy likes Soda.  Soda likes Sandy, but he also loves the rodeo.  Which one will he choose?  Oneshot.


Author's Note: I was working on my Ponyboy fic when this song came on my iPod. It made me think about Soda and Sandy and how she might have felt when he got hurt in the rodeo, so I decided to write this little oneshot about them. Reviews, crit, flames, whatever are all welcome!

Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders and Judy Collins owns Someday Soon.

_He loves his damned old rodeo as much as he loves me_

_Someday soon, goin' with him someday soon._

"You gonna come out and watch me ride tonight, baby?" Soda asked.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You know how I feel about the rodeo, Sodapop Curtis."

"Shoot, ain't nothin' to be scared of," he replied.

"You don't know the half of it. Besides, my folks don't like me hanging around the Slash J," I said.

Soda grinned that wild, reckless smile, and I could feel my knees turn to jelly.

"You think mine like it? Half the time I just lie to 'em about where I'm at," Soda said.

"I just don't feel safe there, that's all," I said. "One minute everything is cool, and the next some dumb hood is waving his knife at a cowboy twice his size who has a gun. I don't want to be in the middle of any fights."

"What if I got Dally an' Sylvia to sit with ya?" He asked.

I could felt my eyes getting huge, "Dally _Winston_?"

Dallas Winston had just gotten here from New York City a couple of months ago, and he was already a legend. He stole from stores, he gambled on card games and any kind of race he could find, he two-timed girls, and had the most fowl language of anyone I'd ever met. He was as wild as the boys in the Shepard outfit, maybe even wilder. Lord only knew why he chose to hang around Soda and his friends.

"'Course I mean Winston," Soda replied.

"I think I'll pass, thanks," I replied. I hoped that Soda heard the coldness in my voice.

"Oh come on, Sandy," Soda pleaded, "ain't no one gonna' mess with you if you're with Dallas. And Sylvia is gonna' be there so you'll have another girl to gossip with while the other less good-looking people are riding."

He smiled again. He wasn't making it easy to stay mad at him.

"I don't see why you've gotta' ride the rodeo every damn weekend. Why don't we ever do somethin' that's just the two of us?" I asked.

"I love being around the horses, that's all," he replied.

"I see how it is. I'm second to your precious horses. Well, I see how it is. I hope you and whatever horse you've got this week are very happy together," I said. I turned around and started to walk off.

"Sandy wait!" Soda said. I'll be damned if it didn't sound like he was about to cry.

I turned around. "What?"

"Just this once? We'll do whatever girly thing you want to do tomorrow if you'll just come watch me in the rodeo tonight," he said.

"Anything?" I asked. I was already entertaining thoughts of him carrying my shopping bags around a department store and then watching me get my hair done.

"Anything," he said.

I sighed and tried my best to look frustrated, but it wasn't easy because I knew I would have my revenge the next day. "Fine."

He gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, honey. I'll see you tonight."

"Uh-huh," I said.

He started walking toward his house. I knew I needed to go home as well, but I had to wait a few minutes. My legs had turned into jelly again, and I knew I wasn't able to walk right then.

XXX

"So has he asked you to be his girl yet?" Kathy asked.

I shook my head. "Not yet, but it's coming soon I think."

"I'm sure he will. I can tell he really digs you," she said. She smiled and got a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I remember when Two-Bit asked me to be his girl the first time," she said. "We were at the movies, and he wrote 'be my girl?' on the paper cup that my popcorn was in. When I got to the bottom of it there was his class ring on a chain."

"Aww!" I squealed, "I want Sodapop to do something sweet like that."

"Yeah," Kathy said. Then she smiled, "I always wondered what he would have done if I'd said no."

I laughed with her at the joke. Then I noticed what time it was.

"Gosh, is it already 7:30? I'm supposed to be meeting Dally and Sylvia at the Slash J in half an hour," I said. I stood up.

"How do I look?" I asked Kathy.

"Prettier than any girl on this side of town except for me," she said. Her and Two-Bit really are good together. They have the same sense of humor.

She gave me a hug before I left the house. "Go get him, honey. You'll do great."

XXX

I met Dallas and Sylvia outside at eight. Dally didn't seem too thrilled that I was in on his date with Sylvia. Sylvia didn't seem too happy either. I knew Soda thought he was doing me a favor by getting Dally and Sylvia to sit with me, but I almost would have rather sat by myself.

A couple of riders went out to do the calf roping, and then they started on the bronc riding. By that point, Sylvia was sitting in Dally's lap with her tongue down his throat. She was an easy girl if I'd ever seen one.

The crew brought out the barrels, and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. Barrel racing was Soda's sport.

"Up first from right here in Tulsa. He's just a kid, but man can he ride those horses. Give it up for fifteen-year-old Sodapop Curtis," the announcer said. The crowd cheered, and I noticed that no one made any comments about his name. I guessed it was because a lot of the cowboys here had nicknames that they went by. People probably just thought his name was a nickname and didn't think anything of it.

Soda and his horse came tearing out of the gate. He was riding a brown and white Appaloosa horse. I knew that horse, and I felt my body tense. Its name was Little Boy Blue, and he had a reputation of being crazy.  
>"Lord, let him be OK," I prayed silently. I couldn't stand it if Soda got hurt.<p>

They made it around the first two barrels, and there was only one more to go. It looked like they were going to be OK, but then Little Boy Blue screeched to a halt. Soda flew forward and slammed into his neck. He reached behind and smacked the horse and gave it a kick at the same time.

The horse acted like it had been shot.

It started bucking and tearing around the arena like crazy. The crowd thought it was great and started whooping. That only scared the horse more. It was a wonder that Soda had managed to stay on as long as he had. By that point, Dally and Sylvia had detached themselves and they were watching with looks of amusement.

"Damn, he has a future in bronc riding if he gets out of this alive," Dally said.

The horse bucked and Soda went flying off over the horse's head. It wasn't until he hit the ground and the horse started charging off that I realized his right foot was still in the stirrup. The horse dragged him for about four feet before Soda's foot was finally free.

The rodeo crew ran out into the arena. It took five of them just to catch Little Boy Blue, and I heard one of the people near me say, "That horse is headed for the glue factory."

Two other workers came out into the arena and started talking to Soda.

"What're you waiting for?" Dally asked me. "Go down there. Go to him."

I realized that I had been sort of numb and paralyzed for the past few minutes. I stood up and bolted down to the arena. The two rodeo workers were carrying Soda out.

"Is he OK?" I asked one of the workers.

"Think he tore a muscle or broke his leg or somethin'. He can't walk. Bill over here is about to take him to the hospital," he replied.

My eyes filled up with tears. "The…The hospital?"

"Aw hell, girl, don't start cryin'. You can go with him if you want," he said.

I nodded. "OK."

"Sandy, you made it," Soda said. We were in the back seat of Bill's car, and he was driving like a madman to get us to the hospital.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm gonna be fine," he said. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to me. I dried my eyes.

"Your leg must hurt," I said.

"Yeah," he said, "but not as bad as my ass. I landed right on it."

Bill roared with laughter, and I smiled a little. Soda had a way of making other people feel better, even if he was hurting himself.

Bill had to go back to the rodeo, but I stayed at the hospital to find out what was wrong with Soda. I waited for what felt like hours, and the doctor finally came out. He was followed by Soda, who was walking on crutches.

"He'll be fine," the doctor said, "he just needs to keep his weight off of it for about six weeks."

"When can I horseback ride again?" Soda asked.

The doctor gave Soda a hard stare. "I would suggest that you don't ride again, son. But I suppose that if you must, you should wait about two or three months."

Soda's face fell. I wasn't crazy about him getting back on a horse, but I hated seeing him sad like that.

"Guess I'd better call my folks," Soda said once the doctor left.

I nodded, and Soda set his jaw.

"I'm not looking forward to this one," he said as he dropped a dime into the pay phone and dialed. He was quiet for a few seconds.

"Dad," he said, "I need you to come get me. I'm at the hospital."

Mr. Curtis drove me home. The car ride home was unbearably quiet.

"Thanks for coming tonight," Soda said, "I'll call you tomorrow."

And then, right there, in front of his father, he kissed me.

XXX

When I went over to the Curtis's the next day, Soda and his dad were having a fight.

"The doctor said I could ride again in a couple of months and I'd be fine," Soda said.

"Well I'm your _father_ and I say you're done with this rodeo nonsense for good. You're lucky you weren't hurt worse, or even killed," Mr. Curtis said.

"But dad," Soda started.

"But nothing, Sodapop Patrick," he said, "this conversation is over. No more rodeo."

I could hear Soda crying softly so I stayed on the porch for a few minutes to give him time to calm down. When his sobs stopped, I opened the door.

He smiled a big smile at me. "Hey."

"Hi," I said as I sat down next to him on the couch. He put his arm around my shoulders, and we sat like that for several minutes in silence.

"Sandy, I've been thinking. You don't like me riding the rodeo, and I hate seeing you scared and sad like you were when I got hurt last night. So I've decided to quit," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. It'll give me more time to spend with you. I was kind of hoping you'd be my girl," he said.

I smiled at him. "I'd like that."

He gave me a big kiss and pulled a ring on a chain out of his pocket. He slipped it around my neck.

"Perfect," he said.

"It sure is," I replied.

I'd never let him know that I knew the real reason why he quit the rodeo.


End file.
